When Bdnf was overexpressed in the mouse liver with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by AAV-mediated gene delivery, however, the animals displayed lower hepatic damage, reduced inflammatory gene expression, and improved fibrosis and steatosis, indicating that the hepatocyte-synthesized BDNF has a local protective function to the liver against metabolic challenges [25]. This evidence concerns the gene BDNF and steatosis.